EMMA Betts doesn’t look sick. But the 22-year-old is fighting advanced stage four melanoma, with her doctors telling her in January that she had only three months to live.

Ms Betts, who married Serge Simic, 24, in March after the doctor’s announcement, is now determined to use her precious time to warn others of the risk of melanoma and to urge young people to get their skin checked.

She will next month launch a blog – Dear Melanoma – to document her ­experiences and raise awareness of the deadly skin cancer.

“I want to raise awareness about melanoma and skin checks,” she said.

“It is not just old people who have been sunbaking their whole lives, it affects young people too.

“I never got overly sunburnt, for me I have a genetic mutation with the melanoma gene, and most young people with melanoma do.

“There is nothing I could have done differently, for me everything has just been a bit of bad luck. There is no cure for melanoma – it’s about time.”

While working as a volunteer in East Timor in late 2012, Ms Betts found a mole on her left shoulder, which was removed and diagnosed as melanoma.

She subsequently found a lump under her arm and had her lymph nodes removed, and later found the cancer had spread to her liver and other parts of her body.

Ms Betts said a trial drug had given her more time with her family, friends and husband Serge.

“We didn’t want to do traditional vows because in most wedding vows people talk about their future together,’’ she said. “We wanted to be a bit sensitive about that, we didn’t want it to be an emotional wedding, but it was just a beautiful day.’’

Ms Betts said she hoped her blog would help other young people diagnosed with melanoma.

“With melanoma, none of the drugs make you lose your hair, I am not overly sick, I am very lucky considering the extent of the cancer, lots of people look at me and they don’t realise,” she said.

“If I had been able to read someone else’s story, it would have helped.”

Cancer Council Queensland spokeswoman Katie Clift said Queensland had the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, with about 3000 melanoma diagnosed each year.

The Dear Melanoma blog launch

Where: The Auditorium, St Aidan’s School, 11 Ruthven St, Corinda

When: 10am — midday, Sunday 8th June 2014

Tickets: $45 per person, which includes a scrumptious morning tea

Book: To reserve your place, email the number of tickets you want and the names of your guests to Bec@rebeccasparrow.com, then do a direct deposit to the following bank account: